Norris Castle above the Solent with West Cowes Beyond, Brannon, 1826

An uncolored copper engraving showing Norris Castle above the Solent with a perspective view of West Cowes beyond, drawn and engraved by George Brannon and published at Southampton on the sixteenth of April 1826. The castle sits long and low along its terrace with a round tower at one end, the park falling away to the shore, and the roofs of West Cowes gathered round the mouth of the Medina in the distance. Sailing craft work the near water and a larger ship lies out in the roads, giving the composition its depth. Norris Castle was built to the designs of James Wyatt at the close of the eighteenth century, and became known some years after this plate as the house where the young Princess Victoria stayed on her Isle of Wight holidays.

Vectis Scenery was George Brannon's life's work, a series of Isle of Wight views drawn and engraved by him and published from Wotton Common on the island, this volume in 1829. The title promised the picturesque beauties, local peculiarities and places of particular interest of the island, and the book served visitors as both a guide and a keepsake. Brannon's own advertisement leaf sets the first series at twenty-eight views and a map. Each plate is a line engraving on copper, taken from a drawing made in front of the subject. The views were issued uncolored, as line engravings on white paper, and this impression is uncolored.

This is one of the double subject views in the series, offering a named country house and a town prospect on a single sheet, which makes it one of the more useful plates for a collector of Cowes material. It also stands at the start of the island's royal association: Victoria's childhood summers at Norris led in time to Osborne House and to the Isle of Wight becoming the most visited island in England. The long horizontal composition suits a wide frame above a chest or a mantelpiece, where the sweep of the Solent carries the eye. Brannon's Cowes plates are consistently the strongest performers from Vectis Scenery.

Even age toning. Marked handling soiling along the bottom, right and top edges. Scattered foxing in the margin. All four corners complete.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.